Donor and recipient age of kidney transplants is increasing

In the latest CTS newsletter (November 1 2012) there is a very interesting analysis of the age of both donors and recipients over the last 25 years. This shows that the age of donors is steadily increasing with 31% of donors being greater than 60 years of age and 27% between 50 and 59 years of age. The comparable figures 25 years ago were 6.5% and 20%. Similarly donor age is increasing and 29% of donors at present are over 60 years of age and 25% between 50 and 59 years of age. The comparable figures 25 years ago were around 2% and 11%. Although donor age and recipient age are related to graft survival, graft survival has been getting steadily better in all age groups over the last 25 years which presumably reflects better use of immunosuppression and perhaps the recognition that older recipients need less immunosuppression.